Breweries replace steel kegs with PET

Siapi srl, the maker of blow molding equipment in San Vendemiano, Italy, reports that more than 20 breweries have picked its stretch blow molding technology to make PET beer kegs.

The kegs, from 4 liters to 40 liters, replace the traditional steel kegs.

So far, the most interest is from breweries in Europe and Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, where there are more than 20 installations. Several new market tests are in progress that will lead to new plants in 2013.

The technology to create the barrier level for PET containers was developed over the last decade. Beer has a very low level of tolerance for contact with oxygen.

Siapi gave a case history of beer kegs, including kegs for Heineken, Carlsberg, Petainer, and a keg resembling a wooden barrel for the Russian market.

The UK-based Petainer’s kegs are compatible with most common fittings, and are suited for small- to medium-sized breweries.

Siapi officials also said they are working with Total Petrochemicals to develop machines to mold detergent bottles and larger-sized HDPE bottles, using linear two-step stretch blow molding of the new high density polyethylene SB 1359 resin.

Siapi also has expanded its product line with the new IndexMatic, a flexible neck orientation system available in three different configurations, with or without preferential heating, as well as a bottle-exit orientation system.

Siapi, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2012, has installed more than 500 systems around the world.